The California Department of Education (CDE) recently launched its Geo-Regional Experts for Multilingual Students (GEMS) initiative, a program designed to strengthen support for English learners (EL) and long-term English learners across the state. Established through a competitive grant program for county offices of education (COEs), GEMS awarded funding for three years to seven lead agencies to develop resources, provide technical assistance, and expand professional learning opportunities tailored to English learner success. GEMS is part of the Statewide System of Support that develops coordinated actions for improved student achievement.
The CDE selected COEs in the counties of Contra Costa, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, Sacramento, Tehama, and Tulare to serve as official GEMS agencies, offering support in their respective regions. The TCOE GEMS team will support agencies in Inyo, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Santa Benito, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, and Tulare counties.
At TCOE, leadership for the GEMS initiative is anchored within the Leadership Support Services (LSS) department. LSS Administrator Gabriela Guzman will serve as the program lead with Melisa Duarte and Isabel Flores, staff development and curriculum specialists from Educational Resource Services, as core members of the implementation team.
To assist local educational agencies in aligning instructional practices and implementing the California EL Roadmap, the TCOE GEMS team will provide a variety of universal and targeted supports. These key offerings include:
In-Person and Virtual EL Networks: Collaborative spaces designed for COE leaders, school districts, and educators to share best practices, exchange resources, and address regional priorities in English learner education. Ongoing EL Network sessions will be offered throughout the year.
ELPAC Workshops: This dedicated professional learning session has been designed to deepen understanding of the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) and leverage data to support language acquisition. This full-day training will be held November 12 at the TCOE Administration Building in Visalia.
Office Hours: Direct, accessible consultation opportunities for COE, district, and school personnel to receive individualized guidance, strategy feedback, and technical assistance. Office hours will also begin November 12 via Zoom with additional sessions offered throughout the year.
Through these comprehensive services and team expertise, TCOE will work to strengthen capacity across the region to ensure equitable, high-quality learning outcomes for English learners.
For more information and to register for the GEMS supports, visit https://tcoe.org/Leadership/PL.